Adjustable tool



Feb. 11, 1958 J. PAPARELLI ADJUSTABLE 1 O0L 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1955 IFIG.|

INVENTOR Joseph Pdporelli BY I MM ATTORNEY Feb. 11, 1958 .1. PAPARELLI 2,822,714

ADJUSTABLE TOOL Filed Aug. 2a, 1955 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR \Loseph Pupclrelli y B W ATTORNEY 's'ential actions necessary in such tools.

ADJUST ABLE TOOL Joseph Paparelli, Yonkers, N. Y., a'ssig'n'or to Kastar Incorporated,'Bronx,'N. Y., a corporationof New York Application August 26, 1955, Serial No. 530,804 13 Claims. or. 81-71) This invention relates to adjustable tools and more particularly to socket wrenches and 'the like, which carry in a single structure a plurality of socket heads whereby "the wrench may be used in connection with a variety of sizes of screws and nuts. It will be understood that while it is adjustable wrenches which are primarily discussedbelow, the same principles of construction may be used with adjustable tools of other types.

Broadly the concept of telescoping tools within a housing is not new. But in tools of this type which now exist, there are serious drawbacks. Such inadequacies center about the selection of the wrench head for use, as well as in retaining in operative position that head which it is desired to use at a given time, and these are the es- To carry out these actions the prior art often shows complicated arrangements of components and structure. By virtue of With some of the known structures Moreover, expensive production costs 'arise when a complicated structure is to be built.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide an adjustable tool'in the nature of a socket wrench and the like'which is suited to use with a varietyof sizes-of set screws and nuts, which wrench is simple in construction and may be'built to accommodate'a large number-of nut sizes.

It is another object herein to provide easy selecting means whereby any given size wrench head may, by a simplemaneuver, be placed in operative position. This object is to be carried out by providing a device which has a fully extended starting position and in which all wrench heads are exposed, it being understood that the wrenches are of the nesting or telescopic variety. After any use it is a simple matter to returnthe entire wrench to the fully extended starting position. From this fully extended starting position the nesting tubes may be collapse'd down to the size which it is desired to use.

A hindering pin which may be moved at will is used to obstruct collapse of the tube beyond any desired size wrench.

'It is still another object herein to provide a positive locking means, whereby once a desired wrench'size is in position, it will be held in that position until it is desired to change the size of wrench being used.

A further object is to provide meansfor the prevention of the sliding down of the telescoped tubes after a desired Wrench size tube has been selected.

A still further object is to achieve all of the foregoing by means of a simple construction and thus avoid expensive fabrication 'as well as the minimization of-the failure in use. A final object is to provide retaining, se- "Iecting, and locking means in an adjustable tool whose -'application is not confined to a wrench butmay be used States Patent efs.

2 as wellinother types of tools such'as' screw drivers and the like. a 7

How these and many other objects are to "be achieved will become clear through 'a consideration of the drawiiig'swher'ein:

Fig. 1 shows an 'adjustablesocket wrench constructed according to my'invention'in the fully extended starting position;

"Fig. 2 is'a section taken at 2-"-2'of Fig. 1; Fig. Sis'a section takeh'at 3' 3of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 'is 'an enlarged view "of the to'p portion of the assembled nestinghexagon'al tubes showing placement "collapsed;

Fig. 7 is a sectionat 7-7 ofFig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section at 88 ofFig. 6;

Fig. 9-is a section at'9'9 ofFig. 6, and

Fig. 10 shows anadjustable Phillips screwdriverwhich could be used in place'of the socket-wrench heads shown in-the foregoing drawings.

Fig. l of the drawings is shown a wrench in fully extended position. All operative parts are situated within orextend into a housing, 10. This is true of a plurality of nested tubes formed from'hexagonal-tubing and numbered 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. In the normal position, aportion of each'of the nested tubes 18, 19, 2 0, 21, 22, 23 and24 respectively, extends outside housing 10 in stepped relationship. As may best be seen from 'Figs. 5 and '6, there is adhered to the end of each tube a washer 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, respectively,

situated within the housing. Each washer is 'affixed to the end of the tube slightly below the endthereof; Each having a hooked portion 42. These legs are situated in radially staggered relationship about the various wash- Cutouts of two sizes, 43 and 44, are seen in each washer, the larger size 43 permitting passage of the hooked portion 42 of a leg through such cutout, and the smaller size 44 being of such size as to engage such hooked portion 42. Situated within the housing is 5a helical spring 45 which'is incontact at one end with an interior surface of the housing, and at the other end with the topmost washer 36. .In engagement with lug 40 on washer 36 is a retaining spring 46 which is held in position because of the closeness of the fitof the washers within the housing. The retaining spring 46 has a'n elbow 47 which is adapted to engage with one of the apertures 48 of the housing '10. Also within the-housing is a slotted region which defines a longitudinal slot portion'50 and aplurality of slot portions51normal to the longitudinal slot portion. Staked into and moveable within these slots is a finger 52 having a control head #53 situated outside the housing. The lugs 40 are in registry with the aforementioned-slotted region. Thus,'by'mea'ns of control head 53 the finger 52 may be moved at will lion legs 41 stand freely out of engagement with any of the washers as in Fig. 5. A socket size is then selected. Control head 53 is moved through longitudinal slot 50 to the appropriate cross slotp51, thus moving finger 52 into interfering relationship with the desired lug on the given washer. Pressure is then exerted against the closed end of the housing 10 and at the bottom of the extended tubes. These then begin to collapse until further collapse is impeded by the presence of finger 52 at the limiting position. Because of the configuration of elbow 47 this elbow progressively moves up to and engages with the appropriate aperture 48 for any given selected wrench setting. The top washer is thus positively held by retaining spring 46 at the desired position. When the nest of tubes are moved upwardly, the legs 41 come into play. Only those legs mounted on washers afiixed to tubes smaller in size than that one whose use is selected wili be aiected upon selection of the given socket size. The hooked portion of the leg 42 is permitted to pass through cut-outs 43 which are larger in size than the hooked portion 42, but are stopped by cutouts 54 which are too small to permit passage therethrough of said.

hooked portion. Thus retaining spring 46 holds the washer 36 associated with the smallest size tube 17 in upward position within the housing; this washer engages the hooked portion 4-2 of the leg 41 mounted on the next succeeding tube and so forth, thus creating a supporting disposition by means of retaining spring, washers, and legs.

After the desired size wrench has been used, and it is desired to reset the wrench-to a different wrench size, finger pressure is exerted against elbow 47 of the retaining spring 46 whereupon the helical spring 45, which was compressed upon selecting the setting for a given wrench size just used, will exert an expending force to cause the wrench to return to its normal extended position, 'each washer engaging the top of the next succeeding tube size to push it downwardly.

While I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the function of my invention. For example, a greater or lesser number of nested tubes with corresponding changes intthe number of slots and apertures may be provided. Moreover, the identical retaining, locking and supporting ar- .rangement could be used in the case of a Phillips screw driver, where nested sizes of Phillips screw drivers are present as in Fig. 10.

I claim:

I. An adjustable tool comprising an outer tube, a plurality of nested tubes, each having a portion within said outer tube and each having a portion extending beyond the end of the tube of next larger size, spring means for maintaining said tubes in such extended condition,-

each of said tubes being movable inwardly relative to said outer tube against the pressure of said spring means upon the application 'of an inward force thereupon, and means for the obstruction of inward movement of any selected one of said tubes, said means being operative when an inward force is exerted upon the selected tube.

2. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim lincluding a washer mounted on said portion of cjach of said nested tubes within said outer tube substantially at the end of each thereof, and wherein said means for the obstruction of inward movement of any selected one of said tubes comprises a movable "finger which may be placed iniposition to engage any selected washer. Y V l 1 l 3. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of washers,'one of said washers being mounted on said portion of each of said nested tubes within said outer tube substantially at the end of one of said nested tubes, and wherein said outer tube has a longitudinal slot therein and a seriespf slots normal to said longitudinal slot and opening into said longitudinal slot, said series -.cf slots having substantially the same spacing as said washers when said tool is in extended condition, and said means for the obstruction of inward movement of any selected one of said tubes comprises a finger extending into said outer tube for engagement with any of said washers, said finger having a control head outside said outer tube, said finger being movable from one to another of said series of slots to engage any selected one of said washers.

4. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 1 including a plurality of washers, one of said washers being mounted on said portion of each of said nested tubes within said outer tube substantially at the end of one of said nested tubes, wherein said outer tube has a longitudinal slot therein and a series of slots normal to said longitudinal slot and opening into said longitudinal slot, said series of slots having substantially the same spacing as said washers when said tool is in extended condition, and said means for the obstruction of inward movement of any selected one of said tubes comprises a finger extending into said outer tube, said finger having a control head outside said outer tube, said finger being movable from one to another of said series. of slots through said longitudinal slot to engage any selected one of said washers.

5. An adjustabletool comprising an outer tube, a plurality of nested tubes, each having a portion within said outer tube,'and each having a portion extending beyond the end ofthe tube of next larger'size, spring means for maintaining said tubes in such extended condition, each of said tubes being movable inwardly to a telescoped condition-within the tube of next larger 'size against the pressure of said spring means upon the application of an inward force thereupon, and means for releasably holding tubes in said telescoped condition.

6. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 5 wherein said outer tube has a series of apertures spaced along the longitudinal dimension thereof, and wherein said means for releasably holding tubes in said telescoped condition comprises a washer mounted on said portion of each of said nested tubes within said outer tube substantially at'the end of each thereof, a first of said washers being mounted on that one of said tubes innermost said outer tube, a leg having a hooked portion mounted on each of said washers other than the said first washer, whereby when any of said nested tubes are telescoped said leg mounted on each of the telescoped tubes will come into overhanging contact with an adjoining washer, said first washer having mounted thereon a retaining spring having an elbow for variably and releasably engaging apertures in said series of apertures, whereby when a desired number of said tubes have been telescoped, said elbow will releasably engage the appropriate one of said series of apertures and the telescoped tubes will be retained in position by the overhanging contact between the leg mounted on each of the telescoped tubes and'the washer mounted on the adjoining one of said nested tubes.

7. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 6 wherein said leg mounted on any one of said nested tubes is radially spaced from legs mounted on adjoining ones of said nested tubes.

8. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 6 wherein each of said washers is bounded by hexagonal surfaces, said hexagonal surfaces of all of said washers longitudinally coinciding, and each said leg is mounted on one of said hexagonal surfaces of one of said washers, each said leg being mounted on a different one of said longitudinally coinciding hexagonal surfaces than said leg mounted on any adjoining washer. g

9. An adjustable wrench comprising an outer tube closed at one end to provide a surface within said outer tube, and a plurality of nested tubes each having a portion within said outer tube, said wrench having a normal position in which each of said nested tubes extends for a stepped portion thereof outside that one of said tubes of next larger size, the stepped portion of each of said nested tubes being capable of successively telescoping into that one of said tubes of next larger size, and extending means for mechanically returning said wrench to said normal position after any of said nested tubes have been telescoped, said extending means comprising a spring which is compressible when any of said nestled tubes are telescoped, said spring being in contact at one end with said surface and at the other end with one of said nested tubes.

10. An adjustable wrench comprising an outer tube closed at one end to provide a surface within said outer tube, and a plurality of nested tubes each having a portion within said outer tube, a washer mounted on said portion of each of said nested tubes within said outer tube, substantially at the end of each thereof, one of said washers being innermost said outer tube, said wrench having a normal position in which each of said nested tubes extends for a stepped portion thereof outside that one of said tubes of next larger size, the stepped portion of each of said nested tubes being capable of successively telescoping into that one of said tubes of next larger size, and extending means for mechanically returning said Wrench to said normal position after any of said nested tubes has been telescoped, said extending means comprising a helical spring in contact at one end with said surface within said outer tube and at the other end with said innermost washer.

11. An adjustable tool comprising an outer tube, and a plurality of nested tubes each having a portion within said outer tube, said tool having a normal position in which each of said nested tubes extends for a stepped portion thereof outside that one of said tubes of next larger size, the stepped portion of each of said nested tubes being capable of telescoping into that one of said tubes of next larger size, means for preventing such telescoping of any selected one of said nested tubes, releasable means for retaining said nested tubes in telescoped position, and

12. An adjustable tool as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said nested tubes is hexagonal in cross section and is open at one end to provide socket wrench heads of varying sizes.

13. A screwdriver adjustable as to size of head comprising an outer tube, a plurality of nested tubes each having a portion within said outer tube, and an inner member nested within the smallest of said plurality of nested tubes, said inner member terminating in a screwdriver head, said screwdriver having a normal position in which each of said nested tubes extends for a stepped portion thereof outside that one of said tubes of next larger size, and said inner member extends for a stepped portion thereof outside the smallest of said plurality of nested tubes, all said stepped portions being capable of telescoping into that one of said tubes of next larger size, each of said nested tubes terminating in an end configuration which when assembled with the ends of all of said tubes of smaller size and the end of said inner member upon the telescoping thereof forms a single screwdriver head, means for preventing such telescoping of any selected one of said stepped portions, releasable means for retaining said stepped portions in telescoped position, and extending means for mechanically returning said screwdriver to said normal position upon release of said releasable means after any of said stepped portions have been telescoped.

Mueller Oct. 5, 1915 Rudd Feb. 21, 1956 

